Welt turning apparatus



Nov. 25, 1952 BROWN ET AL WELT TURNING APPARATUS s Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledMay 17, 1950 l nv entors I wol nm M801 QMMQLQ Nov. 25, 1952 L. BROWNETAL 2,618,948

WELT TURNING APPARATUS Filed May 17, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F/GB.

I nventors Nov. 25, 1952 BROWN ET AL 2,613,948

WELT TURNING APPARATUS Filed May 17, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 AMA 3 WWW:

W I Q cfl Patented Nov. 25, 1952 2,618,948 WELT TURNING APPARATUSLeonard Brown, Nottingham, and John Edward Lyna n,'Mapperley,Nottingham, England, assignors to William Cotton Limited, Loughbor- 6151 En a Ainsl eM e Ma 9 -Se a .N 62A In Great Britain May 18, 1949 (01.sa es) '8 Claims.

1 This invention concerns ,WQU' turning ap ratus, of Cottons patent'orlother straight bar knitting machines,. qf thetyp.e comprising aseriesof hooked welting'instruments which receive thread loops or kinks of aninitial welt course, are m v aw -f o th need es .a lth p ain s d thereofd n the n oduct pno atleas a I Portion of the Walt fab c a d are subseuentl advanced to the needles to permit the initial course to be appliedto the latterin the act of turning the welt, a bight of the welt fabricbeing tensioned beneath the instruments at an .intermediate stage in theprgduction of the welt by means .of a welt stick (or its equivalent) andsuitable attached tensioning gneans so that the loops or kinks held bythe instruments are tensioned away irom the needles against stops orcatches provided on or in association with the instruments.lncertainiorms of automatic welt turning apparatus on a Cottons patentor other straight barknitting machine, it is usual to leave the weltinginstruments or welt hooks engaged with the fabric after the initialcourse has been restored-to the needles, until at a convenient time theoperative disengages -thern'-' by hand. In the design and constructionof automatic welt-turning apparatus, this disengag ment is one of thefeatures presenting the greatest difiiculty.

An object of the invention is to provide improved means for disengagingwelting instruments from the fabric after the welt has been turned. Theinvention is applicable'to the machine and apparatus forming the subjectof patent application, Serial-No. 162,447, filed May 17, 1950.

-With the above object in view :the invention provides'in'a Cottons'patent or other straight bar knitting machine employing a welt barequipped with hooked welting instruments, of mechanism for producing thedisengagement of said instruments'irom the fabric after the welt andpermitting it to swing further in the u nhooking direction. The weltJoar may come to rest with the welting instruments pointing away from"the needle line and Whereas thevbar maybe reversed to' itsinitialiattitude by hand if desired, .a further feature of the inventionresides in effecting ther'eversalautomatically.'

The above and other ieatures of the invention are set jforth in'theappended claims and are dis- "closed i he .s e ailed d sqr pt qmz i eniWa of example, .of the particular embodiment illustrated inthe acconpanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is ageneralsectional view of welther control mechanism according to the invention and showing sutficientof the adiacent parts of a kni ting m ne t perm t the a te t beidentified;

Figures ;2 to 6 are detail ,viewson a-larger scale of certain of saidparts at different stages;

Figures "7 and 8 are similar views to Figures 2 to 6*butshowing the weltbar being restored to its initial attitude;

Figure 9 is a plan view of Figure 1.

In the accompanying drawings the invention is shown as beingincorporated in a straightbar knitting machine according to copendingpatent application, No.1l6-2A4'7, filed May 1'7, 0. Only suificient ofthe-knitting machine is shown to permit-it to beidentified' butattention is directed tothe table-2t, frame-member 21 ,maincam shaft2-2,-needles l and sinkers'z, these elements bein of conventional kind.In conventional manner the machine may com rise a plurality of divisionseach arranged" to knit a selvedged blank (a1- thoughtheinventionis ofcourse applicableto a simple unit machine having a single division of edle o ikn i n a in b n an v I. i=ru r .1 we i shqw them iqritro h ow tbs trol nriechanism tor a representative division; certainelements ofmechanism {c.g. shafts) will extend .along plurnli iy of divisions aswill be o v ous t Qne, ski ls si t ar ,Qqns d ri i new .th ch nism o a rp esentative division, and referring especially to Figural, aflwelt bar;,3 is provided having welting instruments Sand endpegs i; theinstruments 5 may bejasdescribe'd in, the aforesaid patentapplication..There is also. provided at eachv end of the divisionfof needlesaforkedarmfi havinga cleft 'i forreceiving the pegsfi at each endofthedivisio'ni of needles. These forked 'ar'i'nstimay be empleyed foradvaneing and retractingthelweit bar in the production andturning of thewelt Kie :.wh t r eisren el v ab mad to abni a iqn ,N.o. 1;162a4 7,fidlednay 1?, 1.95m, 'T

according to the present invention they are also utilised to assist inreleasing the welt hooks 5 from engagement with the fabric and thisoperation is carried out conveniently whilst said arms 6 are stationaryin the position indicated in the drawings. For further assisting in thewelt hook releasing operation, there are provided lifting levers 8 ateach end of the division of needles; these levers 8 may have stops 9, 9for the purpose of controlling the aforesaid retraction and advancementof the welt bar 3 if desired, and for the purpose of the presentinvention each lever 8 has a forward ledge or part 21 for engaging thepegs 4 of the welt bar 3. Any suitable mechanism may be provided forraising and lowering said lifting levers 8 at desired times;conveniently as shown the levers 8 are fixed on a rotating shaft 23which is rocked through the medium of arm 2%, rod H) and tappet ll whichis operated by bits on a pattern disc l2 fixed on a pattern controlshaft 13.

Welt straps I 4 are also provided having at least one hook 15 forhooking onto the ends of a welt stick 26. The straps M are attached tothe usual draw off roller [6 biased in the winding-up or draw-offdirection by weighted cords or the like 19.

In operation it will be assumed that the welt has been produced(conveniently as described in the specification of said Patentapplication No. 162,447, filed May 17, 1950) and that the welt bar 3 hasbeen retracted to a certain extent by the forked levers 6 (if suchlevers are employed for the purpose as before mentioned) and by thebeing-produced fabric F with which the welting instruments 5 are stillengaged. At this stage the fabric is being drawn-off by the welt strapsand (again if the forked levers are employed as aforesaid) suitablemeans such for example as a catch 28 cooperating with a notch 29 in acollar or the like, (on a rocking shaft 30, through the medium of whichthe forked levers 6 may be operated as aforesaid) may be provided forholding the forked levers in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2 i. e.whereat the pegs 4 are above the ledges or parts 21 of the liftinglevers 8. The lifting levers 8 now rise and engage the pegs 4 of thewelt bar 3 to raise them upwardly along the clefts l in the forkedlevers 6 (Figure 3), and the result is that because the hooks 5 arestill engaged in the fabric F the welt bar becomes tilted as shown intoan attitude whereat the welt hooks extend substantially verticallydownwards from the welt bar. As shown in Figure 4, continued productionof the fabric results in a swinging movement of the welt bar 5 about theaxis of the trunnion-like legs 4 (which rest on the ledges 21 and arepositioned in clefts 7) until the welting instruments I inclinedownwards towards the front of the machine. While in certainconstructions this swinging movement may of itself be adequate to unhookthe instruments from the fabric, it will usually be found that the hooksof the instruments require to be at such a length that additionalunhooking movement must be imparted. For this reason, at an appropriatestage in the rearward swing of the welt bar 3, the lifting levers 8 arelowered to their inoperative position (Figure 5) with the result thatthe welt bar 3 is lowered until a shoulder part I! thereof engages guiderails [8; this shoulder l! thereupon acts as a pivot about which thewelt bar rolls or rocks in the unhooking direction so as to raise thehooks of the welting instruments 5 through comparatively small are suchthat the hooks become disengaged from the fabric. Finally the welt bar 3comes to rest upside-down on said guide rails I8 with the weltinginstruments 5 extending substantially horizontally, away from theneedles I, towards the front of the machine as shown in Figure 6 andwith the pegs 4 still engaged in the clefts 1 of the forked levers 6.

While it is within the scope of the invention to invert welt bar 3 byhand so as to place it in condition for the next welt turning operation,this inversion is preferably efiected mechanically. For this purpose thelifting levers 8 are again raised at an appropriate time, and desirablythis raising takes place when sufficient of the fabric has been producedfor the joint of the welt to be located forwardly of the weltinginstruments as shown in Figure '7. The levers 8, when raised, engage thepegs 4 and raise them in the clefts 1 of the forked levers 6. As aresult the welt bar 3 is again suspended with the instruments 5 pointingdownwardly as shown in Figure 7; the balance of the welt bar 3 andinstruments 5 however is such that the instruments 5 automaticallyincline towards the needle line as shown. Consequently, upon the liftinglevers 8 being next lowered the welt bar 3 automatically lowers untilthe shoulder or front edge 31 (Figure 7) of the welt bar 3 engages theguides 24 whereupon the welt bar comes to rest with the instruments 5pointing towards the needles H in the desired manner (Figure 8).

If the forked levers 6 are employed as before stated for moving the weltbar to and from the needle line, catch mechanism such as that describedabove may be employed for preventing (at appropriate time) furtherrocking of the rocking shaft 33 to take off the tension applied to thefabric by the fork levers 5 and welting instruments 5. The rock shaft 30may therefore have to be stopped at two different positions in itsrotation, and for this purpose there may be provided a pair of thenotches 29 at circumferentially spaced locations, and means such forexample as a hand lever 3| may be provided for turning the shaft fromone position to the other.

We claim:

1. In a straight bar knitting machine having needles and a welt barequipped with hooked welting instruments for use in turning a. welt,mechanism for producing the disengagement of the instruments from thefabric after the welt has been turned, which mechanism comprises thecombination of trunnion-like pins on the ends of the welt bar, supportson which the welt bar normally rests, upwardly-extending guide slotsalong which the pins are movable, lifting devices for engaging beneaththe pins to raise and lower the welt bar, means for raising the liftingdevices and for thereby lifting the pins in their slots to a position inwhich the bar hangs pendulously with the instruments pointing downwardsand engaged with the fabric and free to swing in the unhooking directionand lowering the lifting devices to lower the pins in their slots and tobring the bar onto the supports and for thereby carrying the latter tofulcrum on the supports in the unhooking direction until upside down.

2. In a Cottons patent or other straight bar knitting machine employinga welt bar equipped with hooked instruments, a plurality of needles,means for automatically advancing and retracting the welt bar to andfrom said needles, lifting mechanism for lifting the welt bar to anelevated attitude with the instruments hanging downwards and engaged inthe fabric, means for oper- 'ating the lifting mechanism to support thewelt bar in said manner during retraction of the welt bar and meanswhereby "the 'we'lt bar -'is then supported by the lifting mechanism Ina freely pivotal or 'pendulous'manner so'thatthe instruments are swungby the fabric, during its production, in a direction away from theneedles 'to effect Tpa'rtial unhooking of the instruments from thefabric.

3. In aCo'ttons patentorother straight bar knitting machine'employinga'welt bar'equipped with hooked instruments,'aipliirality of needles,means for automatically advancing and retracting the welt bar toandfroih'said'needles, -lifting mechanism for lifting the welt bar to anelevated attitude with the instruments hanging downwards and engaged inthe fabric, means for operating the lifting mechanism to support thewelt bar in said manner during retraction of the welt bar, means wherebythe welt bar is then supported by the lifting mechanism in a freelypivotal or pendulous manner so that the instruments are swung by thefabric, during its production, in a direction away from the needles toeffect partial unhooking of the instruments from the fabric, and meansfor then lowering the welt bar thus permitting the instruments to swingfurther from the needles and partially turn over into a reversedattitude to effect further partial unhooking of the instruments from thefabric.

4. In a Cottons patent or other straight bar knitting machine employinga welt .bar equipped with hooked instruments, a plurality of needles,means for automatically advancing and retracting the welt bar to andfrom said needles, lifting mechanism for lifting the welt bar to anelevated attitude with the instruments hanging downwards and engaged inthe fabric, means for operating the lifting mechanism to support thewelt bar in said manner during retraction of the welt bar, means wherebythe welt bar is then supported by the lifting mechanism in a freelypivotal or pendulous manner so that the instruments are swung by thefabric, during its production, in a direction away from the needles toeffect partial unhooking of the instruments from the fabric, and meansfor then lowering the welt bar, thus permitting the instruments to swingfurther from the needles into a reversed attitude to effect furtherpartial unhooking of the instruments from the fabric, and supports ontowhich the welt bar is then lowered and on which it fulcrums to completethe'reversing of the welt bar and unhooking of the instruments from thefabric.

5. In a Cottons patent or other straight bar knitting machine employinga welt bar equipped with hooked instruments, a plurality of needles,means for automatically advancing and retracting the welt bar to andfrom said needles, lifting mechanism for lifting the welt bar to anelevated attitude with the instruments hanging downwardly and engaged inthe fabric, means for operating the lifting mechanism to support thewelt bar in said manner during retraction of the welt bar, means wherebythe welt bar is then supported by the lifting mechanism in a freelypivotal or pendulous manner so that the instruments are swung by thefabric, during its production, in a direction away from the needles toeffect partial unhooking of the instruments from the fabric, means forlowering the welt bar thus permitting the instruments to swing furtherfrom the needles and partially turn over into a reversed attitude toeffect further partial unhook- 6 ing of "thein'struments from thefabric, supports onto which the welt bar {is lowered and on which itfulcrums to complete -the reversing-of thewelt bar and unhooking of theinstruments from the fabric, and means for inverting the welt bar backto its correct attitude.

6. In -a "("Jottons patent or other straight bar knitting ma'chin'eemploying a welt bar equipped with hooked instruments, a plurality of ineedles, means for automatically advancing and i retracting the welt-barto andfro'm s'aid needles, lifting mechanism comprising lifting devicesengaging ivot :pins on the ends of the 'welt bar for lifting the weltbar to an elevated attitude with the instruments h'an'ging downwards andengaged :in the fabric, "r'n'eans for operating said lifting devices'tosupportthepivotpins (and consequently to support the welt bar in saidmanner) during retraction of the welt bar, and means whereby the weltbar is then supported by the lifting mechanism in a freely pivotal orpendulous manner so that the instruments are swung by the fabric, duringits production, in a direction away from the needles to effect partialunhooking of the instruments from the fabric.

7. In a Cottons patent or other straight bar knitting machine employinga Welt bar equipped with hooked instruments, a plurality of needles,means for automatically advancing and retracting the welt bar to andfrom said needles, lifting mechanism comprising lifting devices engagingpivot pins on the ends of the welt bar for lifting the welt bar to anelevated attitude with the instruments hanging downwards and engaged in.

the fabric, means for operating said lifting de-- vices to support thepivot pins (and consequently knitting machine employing a welt barequipped with hooked welting instruments, a plurality of needles,mechanism for producing the disengagement of the instruments from thefabric after the welt has been turned, comprising pivoted upstandingarms having upwardly extending slots, and pivot pins on the ends of thewelt bar for engaging in said slots; cam operated truck arm and chainmeans for operating said arms to advance and retract the welt barthrough the medium of said pins; substantially horizontal lifting armsfor engaging said pins to lift the welt bar to an elevated attitude withthe instruments hanging downwards and engaged in the fabric; cam andtruck arm means for raising the lifting arms to support the welt bar insaid manner during retraction of the welt bar by the upstanding arms, sothat the welt bar is then supported on said lifting arms and in saidslots in a freely pivotal or pendulous manner and may be swung by thefabric, during its production, in a direction away from said needles toeffect partial unhooking of the instruments from the fabric, and forlowering the welt bar and permitting the instruments to swing furtherfrom the needles to turn over into a reversed attitude to effect furtherpartial unhooking of the instrument from the fabric; station'ary barmembers onto which the welt bar is lowered and on which it fulcrums tocomplete the reversing of the welt bar and unhooking of the instrumentsfrom the fabric; and the pivot pins being at such locations on the weltbar that when the bar is supported pivotally or pendulously without theinstruments engaging the fabric, the instruments incline towards theneedles and said cam and truck arm means being arranged to raise thelifting arms (and consequently the pins and welt bar) at an appropriatestage after release of the instruments from the fabric, and then tolower them so that the welt bar fulcrums on the stationary members andis inverted thereby to the correct attitude.

LEONARD BROWN.

JOHN EDWARD LYNAM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,036,143 Howie Mar. 31, 19362,162,121 Ruedt June 13, 1939 10 2,396,263 Hofmann Mar. 12, 19462,431,160 Bitzer Nov. 18, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date509,962 Germany Oct. 15, 1930

